A Curious Knock
by dress4m
Summary: What did Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet's conversation sound like when Darcy asks to marry Elizabeth. All you have to do to find out is read it ;  Oneshot


**I know there have been many renditions of Mr. Darcy's talk with Mr. Bennet in the study, but I just couldn't stay away, it was much too tempting ;) Hope you like it!**

**I do not make any claim to the characters from **_**Pride and Prejudice.**_** That goes directly to Ms. Jane Austen.**

There was a knock on the door of Mr. Bennet's study. An almost curious knock, sounding with a mix of gentleness and determination as it resonated around the room. "Enter," said Mr. Bennet as he looked up from his current letter to see who the creator of such a peculiar knock could be. To his complete and utter surprise, it was Mr. Darcy! His first thoughts were that the man was coming to give him some sort of advice or to criticize his family or his home. Then Mr. Bennet examined the younger man's disposition more carefully and noticed his nervous visage.

"Please, Mr. Darcy, take a seat," offered Mr. Bennet only to have his offer declined respectfully before Mr. Darcy said, "Mr. Bennet, sir, you are probably not expecting this in the least, but I would like to ask for Miss Elizabeth's hand in marriage." The appearance of Mr. Bennet's face at this point was a mixture of surprise at the gentleman's request, anger that he wanted to take away Mr. Bennet's favorite child, and confusion that Elizabeth would consent to such a request from Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy, one could say, was looking rather pale and on edge, ready to swear his love for Elizabeth Bennet and defend their mutual feelings. He could not bear it if consent from Mr. Bennet was not readily given. He understood, however, that it may take some conversation to convince the family of Elizabeth's changed feelings as her previous view of him had been so outspoken.

Finally, Mr. Bennet found his voice and asked, "Has my Elizabeth agreed to this on her own? You did not bribe her or trick her into anything?" Mr. Darcy responded with vigor, "No sir! Miss Elizabeth agreed most heartily without any urging on my part." "I do not understand it," said the elder gentleman, "I simply do not understand. She has always expressed a certain dislike for you and your manners. But now that I think of it, you do seem to have changed, Mr. Darcy. Is this true, have you changed, for her?"

After a moment of reflection by Mr. Darcy, his averted gaze found its way back to Mr. Bennet and he spoke softly, "Yes. I have changed for her. She once pointed out to me how arrogant and conceited I made myself look towards the rest of the world." His voice grew in strength and his eyes were far off as he recalled her words from Rosings, "She also told me that I was… the last man on Earth that she would ever be prevailed upon to marry." Mr. Bennet was now shocked that his daughter had been on such familiar terms with Mr. Darcy as to be so rude to him.

"Why on earth, and _where _on earth, did Elizabeth feel the need to tell you this?" asked Mr. Bennet. "Well, sir, I had been planning on not letting this out, but I do suppose it is better for it to be… somewhat common knowledge," said Mr. Darcy. "I offered my hand to Elizabeth last April during her stay at Rosings. She most solidly refused and proceeded to tell me of my faults. I deserved it, though, sir," he added as Mr. Bennet listened in shock, "I did not act like a gentleman ought to have acted. My words were ill chosen and my certainty that she would accept was false."

Mr. Bennet was not sure he had heard the man properly. "You proposed and she refused you?" He was smiling despite the tone of the discussion and the fact that his esteem for Mr. Darcy was rising by the second for proposing to his stubborn daughter not once, but twice, and keeping at it. "Most viciously, sir," responded Mr. Darcy. "My dear boy, I am deeply sorry for any cutting remarks my daughter has made, but I still am unsure about this arrangement," said Thomas Bennet.

Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and thought out his words before speaking. "I understand your apprehension, but do not apologize for the things said to me that day. If Elizabeth had not showed me who I truly was at that point, I would never have found out. I had been guarding myself and my sister Georgiana, who is about your daughter Lydia's age, from anything and anyone that may have caused trouble and it turned me into a horrible man. It was, I think, my love for your daughter and my failed proposal that changed me and changed her regard for me."

"You speak of love, Mr. Darcy. Is that what you and my daughter share?" asked Mr. Bennet. Mr. Darcy let his composure slip from him for a moment as he pictured Elizabeth's face and immediately associated it with love. It did not go unnoticed by Mr. Bennet. "Yes, Mr. Bennet," he said in a soft voice, "I believe it is." These words, spoken with so much emotion and truth, echoed through both men's ears. Mr. Darcy still stood, patiently waiting for the approval he so desperately craved.

Finally, Mr. Bennet spoke. "I shall give my consent to the marriage, but only after I speak to Lizzy. I must ask her about a few things before I can be fully content with your marriage. Would you please send her in?" He left and did so, retreating outdoors after the door to the study was closed once more, this time with Elizabeth on the inside.

Mr. Darcy emotions were like a bird this past morning; taking off, fluttering, plunging, and finally, soaring. He was the happiest of men, even though nothing was certain yet, he felt in his heart that they would be married. He paced outside and wondered what could be taking Elizabeth and her father so much time. In the time passed since he had wandered outside, two cows had already been milked and the excited, although confused, giggles of the other Bennets had been incessant.

He heard footsteps and snapped his head up just in time to see Elizabeth before she collided with him in an embrace. Realizing that they were indeed to be married, he laughed and picked her up, spinning her around in a circle before setting her feet back to the ground and staring into her fine eyes, both parties having wide smiles spread across their faces. Not caring about her family watching from the not too distant window, he dropped his lips to hers and they shared one sweet kiss full of love and happy memories to be made.


End file.
